Circuit closer for back signals



'March 9;.1926 l 1,575,986

B.L.GAMBLE,JR

cIRCUI-T CLOSER FUR; HAGK'SIGNALS Filed August 29, 1923 Chrotncq 'Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

v BURTON GAMBLE, Jn., or sT. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.

CIRCUIT `CLOSER -FOR BACK SIGNALS. I

Application filed August 29, 1923. serial .Nu 659,875.

To if# concern vvBeit.lm'oWn-that I, BURTON L..GA1.\ULE Jrg, actizen of the United States, residing at'fSt.jl)etersbu1 -g, inthe county of Pinellas and' S tate. ofv Florida, have invented certaln new and useful' Improvements in Circuit v Closers for Back Signals,i.of whichthe following is a speciiication.

hepresentinvention relates to a circuit closer particularly adapted for use vwith back signals on automobiles and the like and' has for its principal object to provide a simple and eiticient 'structure of this nature which may .be-used in' association with lthe gear shift lever sothat when said gear shift lever isdisposed in reverse position, said clrcuit closer w1l-l be 1n 'a closed`pos1t1on.

l.With theabove and numerous other objects` in .view as willvappear as' the descripf tionA proceeds, the'invention resides in certain novel features of construction and 1n the combinatlon and arrangement ofl -parts l .as will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed.

Figurel is a diagrammaticview 'illustrat-4 ing1 an tion, and

' -Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinalsecthe preferred arran 'ement pf switches tional view of back signal.' *Referring to the drawing .-in detail,.it will vhe seen thatIhave diagrammatically shown the circuitcloser v for the a bulb' 17 adaptedto be `located Ain' a back Y signal." One terminal of this bulb 17 is groundedas at 18 while the other terminal thereofis connected to a suitable source of electricity'19.

Y 'a stationa This source of electricity-'may'consist of,

the usual batterycarried upon motor ve.--

hicles having its outerterminal connected to contact 20'ofa'specia1 form of switch, an which special form ofswitch includes a movable contact 2 1adapted tobe enga dv by theusual gear shift lever Y 22 whic is grounded as'atv 23. A bulb 10 has one terminal grounded as at 24 and itsiother terminal is connected to a suitable switch 25v whichis normally opened. andfpositioned to be automaticallyclosedupon depression of .thexbrake pedal 26 of the vehicle.. One vterminal. of the switch 25 is ofcourse connected to the source tif-electricity 19,' and the switch associated with the lever 22 -is .preferably ofthe form shown in Figure 2.

electric circuits emp oyed in the inven ing, a Contact As shown, this switch includes a flanged base `2 7 adapted to be fastened upon the floor of the car rearwardly of the lever 22 and hav-- ing a threaded opening into which the curved nipple 28 is threaded, which nipple Aforms the casing ofthe'switch. The ball of the nipplev 28 is enlarged 4at its upperend to providea chamber in which the contact 2 0 isplaced, and a compression spring 29 is in -A terposed between the contacts 2O and 21 to.

normallyproject the latter outwardly of the end ofthe nipple 28 through a central open? king provided in a cap. 30'which is threaded upon the ends lof said nipple.

In operation, the contact 21 is adapted to be engaged. by. the lever 22when the latter is shifted to revers'e gear position so that the zcircu-it through the bulb 17 is closed for illuminating a suitable signal for advising drivers 'of vehiclesof the intention of the 'driver of the car equ'pped with the present signal to back the vehicle; vThe sprin 29 merely provides a yielding mounting o? the Contact 21 for permitting the lever 22 'to engage said contact just prior to final movement of the lever to reverse gear position.

What I claim as newv is `A switch for electric back signals comprising ed for attachment to the floor of' a vehicle, said base having a threaded opening, a

curved'nipple threaded at its lower end into said opening and constituting a switch casmg, said nipple having abore enlarged at lts -upper end and forming a shoulder, a

screw threaded'cap'disposed on the upper end of the nipple and having a central open.` movable through said opening inthe cap,-a fixed Contact in the enlarged portion of the bore `and restingon the shoulder therein, a lead extending .through the' remaining portion of the bo're and 'through the base, yieldable means engagedl between the two contacts electrically connecting -the same for'projecting thefirst cap, said base being ,adapted to be mounted rearwardly of a gear shi-ft lever whereby the movable. contactis engaged by said leverv when the latter ,-is shifted into reverse gear" position, and means to provide aground 'connection for the gear shift lever.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signaf ture. v

BURTON L. GAMBLE, JR.

a hollow base having a flange adapti 10oV vmentioned contact outwardly through said y 

